Call for urgent action

JONATHAN MALLINSON9 May 2014, midnight

SISTERS Beach residents have called for urgent action from the federal government to improve mobile phone service in the area, after the Sisters Beach Progress Association submitted a petition yesterday.

SISTERS Beach residents have called for urgent action from the federal government to improve mobile phone service in the area, after the Sisters Beach Progress Association submitted a petition yesterday.

The residents are so concerned they have labelled the current situation as a "disaster waiting to happen".

The petition was submitted to Braddon MHR Brett Whiteley and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Communications Paul Fletcher at Sisters Beach yesterday.

Progress Association member Jono Vincent said the need for mobile coverage was becoming increasingly important.

"Sisters Beach has grown significantly since the days of it only being a seaside shack village.

"We now have two bus loads of children going to school each day and during the peak season and long weekends, the population more than doubles," Mr Vincent said.

Mr Fletcher is responsible for administering the government's $100 million mobile coverage program.

"We have a number of criteria for communities to receive this type of funding and Sisters Beach ticks off on a lot of those," Mr Fletcher said.

An NBN tower is currently under construction at Sisters Beach and Mr Fletcher said that was a big tick.

"With a permanent population of about 400, and many thousands of people visiting the area throughout the summer months Sisters Beach has a strong case to be considered for funding," Mr Whiteley said.